(Reuters) - Canada's main stock index rose on Tuesday, helped by a jump in oil prices and hopes that vaccines against the COVID-19 disease could be ready by the end of the year.
* Early data from trials of three potential coronavirus vaccines released on Monday bolstered confidence that a vaccine can train the immune system to recognize and fight the virus without serious side effects.
* The energy sector climbed 5.5% on Tuesday as U.S. crude prices gained 3.1%, while Brent crude added 2.9%, reaching levels last seen when an oil price war erupted in early March between Russia and Saudi Arabia.
* Canadian retail sales rose a record 18.7% in May as the economy began to reopen from pandemic-led shutdowns, Statistics Canada said.
* At 9:47 a.m. ET (13:47 GMT), the Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index was up 94.26 points, or 0.58%, at 16,277.92.
* The financials sector gained 1.1%. The materials sector, which includes precious and base metals miners and fertilizer companies, added 1.2% as gold futures rose 1.2% to $1,838.1 an ounce.
* On the TSX, 146 issues were higher, while 70 issues declined for a 2.09-to-1 ratio favoring gainers, with 26.10 million shares traded.
* The largest percentage gainer on the TSX was Seven Generations Energy Ltd (TO:VII), which jumped 12.7% after brokerage BMO raised its rating on the firm to "outperform" from "market perform."
* Its gains were followed by Vermilion Energy Inc (TO:VET), which rose 8%
* Shopify Inc (TO:SHOP) fell 4.0%, the most on the TSX, while the second-biggest decliner was Interfor Corp (TO:IFP), down 3.1%
* The most heavily traded shares by volume were Crescent Point Energy Corp (TO:CPG), up 7.3%, Cenovus Energy Inc (TO:CVE), up 7.1%, and B2gold Corp (TO:BTO), up 2.8%.
* The TSX posted 23 new 52-week highs and no new lows.
* Across all Canadian issues there were 89 new 52-week highs and five new lows, with total volume of 61.81 million shares.